Paal Sura Karuvadu Thokku
Sura puttu, shredded shark stir-fried with onion and garlic, is one of the best-known shark dishes on the Tamil coast. This thokku takes the same idea to dried Paal Sura: the fish is softened, shredded, and cooked down with a lot of onion until almost dry. Shark has cartilage instead of fine bones, which makes shredding easy.
This recipe uses Paal Sura Karuvadu – Dried Milk Shark, a traditional South Indian dry fish variety available to order online from Thenkadal Karuvadu.
Preparation
Soak the Paal Sura in hot water for 30 minutes, changing the water once. Then simmer it in fresh water with the turmeric for 5–7 minutes to soften it further and draw out more salt. Drain, let it cool, peel away the skin, and shred the flesh finely with your fingers, removing any cartilage.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1Heat the oil and add mustard seeds and urad dal. When the dal turns golden, add curry leaves, garlic, ginger and green chillies and sauté for a minute.
- 2Add the onions and cook on medium for 5–6 minutes, until soft and just starting to colour.
- 3Stir in the pepper, chilli powder and cumin powder.
- 4Add the shredded fish and mix well so every strand is coated.
- 5Cook on medium-low, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes, until the moisture is gone and the thokku looks dry and slightly crumbly.
- 6Taste before adding any salt, then finish with coriander leaves.
Cooking Tips
- Use at least as much onion as fish; the sweetness of the onion balances the dried shark.
- Shred the fish finely — the smaller the strands, the better it takes on the masala.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the boil: dried shark stays tough and salty if it is only soaked.
- Cooking on high heat, which scorches the onions before the fish dries out.
Serving Suggestions
With hot rice and rasam, or rolled into chapati as a quick wrap.
Cook this recipe with our Paal Sura Karuvadu (Milk Shark)
If you've enjoyed sura puttu, this is the dried-fish way to make it at home.
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